Vegan potuluck, and how to get more sleep!

/hihi Can you believe that fresh strawberries are cheap in Florida right now?  Its the middle of winter and they in every health food store and supermarket. I made this delicious whole wheat strawberry waffle before hitting up the trails on the weekend (where I saw a BISON- not kidding- pics to come in my next post!!)

In my last post I laid out my resolutions for the year. There is something else I want to try out for a few weeks and see if it changes anything- more sleep. Or specifically:

 9 hours of sleep a night.

 Most work nights I only get 6-7 max and Im drinking waaaaay to much green tea and even the occasional soda (not good- not after last years battle to wean myself off the stuff!)

This website http://helpguide.org/life/sleeping.htm suggests 7.5 to 9 hours, and I think 9 is a safe number to shoot for so that I know I will at least get 8.5 hours by the time I actually fall asleep (it can take me a while sometimes)

This is going to mean timing my workouts earlier (I like to go at 7 or 8 p.m when the gym isnt crowded) Its going to be really weird going to bed at 9:30p.m. but I want to try it out, and see if I feel like a whole new person :D

The website says this about sleep deprivation (I will highlight in purple the ones I feel really apply to myself)

The effects of sleep deprivation and chronic lack of sleep

• Fatigue, lethargy, and lack of motivation
• Moodiness and irritability
• Reduced creativity and problem-solving skills
• Inability to cope with stress
• Reduced immunity; frequent colds and infections
• Concentration and memory problems

• Weight gain
• Impaired motor skills and increased risk of accidents
• Difficulty making decisions
• Increased risk of diabetes, heart disease, and other health problems

I bet I will feel more creative, optimistic and passionate about life rather than snarky and bored and clamoring for a nap if I have more sleep under my belt :)

How do you know if you are sleep deprived? Well, according to the website:

You may be sleep deprived if you...

• Need an alarm clock in order to wake up on time
• Rely on the snooze button
• Have a hard time getting out of bed in the morning
• Feel sluggish in the afternoon
• Get sleepy in meetings, lectures, or warm rooms
• Get drowsy after heavy meals or when driving

• Need to nap to get through the day
• Fall asleep while watching TV or relaxing in the evening
• Feel the need to sleep in on weekends
• Fall asleep within five minutes of going to bed

I got 9 hours a night over the weekend- easy right!!?

On Sunday night I was aiming for 9 but got 8 instead by the time I finally got to bed. I lost my wallet somewhere in the house and it took forever to find it and threw off my schedule (which again, is why 9 is a good number to shoot for cos at LEAST you get in 8 by the time you've dealt with all the random things you remember you need to do before bed!

The website http://helpguide.org/life/sleeping.htm suggests creating a ritual before bed. I've been having a cup of hot Sleepytime tea which has natural sleep herbs in it,

and a hot shower + making sure I dont use bright electronics right before bed + making my room dark to promote melatonin (sleep hormone), and so I easily fell asleep before 10:30 :) This morning I don't feel as tired as I usually would


In other news- I went to a Vegan Potluck this weekend! There is a local group that meets on the first Saturday of every month and everybody brings a vegan/vegetarian dish. http://veg4lifegainesville.com/ It was great! Check out their website for recipes.

These are some pics from their site:

There were about 40 people, and tons of yummy food including desserts! The crowd was mainly older people but there were about 5 people in their 20s there too. It seemed like the elder people were quite excited to see us, I think they really want to pass on their wisdom to the new generation! I made vegan mac and cheese from Ohsheglows.com (which garnered quite a few compliments!) Ty made a dip with corn chips and one of our very pregnant friends came along too (here due date is tomorrow!!), she loved the food as well.

There were lots of conversations about eco-friendly and sustainable ways of eating, as well as a speech from a vegan dietitian about how to eliminate gluten in your diet.

 I dont have any gluten issues, but it did make me think that it might be cool to eliminate various things from my diet for a week at a time and see how I feel. Who knows- maybe I'd feel great after a week without gluten or milk etc? I dont know what if mildly intolerant of certain things or not, without testing! I know a few people who feel congested if they have milk products or get headaches. I'm trying to be more aware of how what I eat affects my skin, hair, energy, mood etc.

With work and school keeping me so busy my community involvement has been kind of lacking, but this is the kind of group I can definitely support and be a part of in the new year!

The beginning of a New Year..resolutions and highlights :)

We rung in the new year with a balloon drop and champagne + a pool game at our local bar. I love balloons so that was the main draw for me :) And I wanted to wear my sparkly gold dress!

I get this excited about balloons!

However- I detest new years in which I have uncool birthdays. This year I'm turning 26...not cool. 25 seemed quite old enough, thank you very much! Ideally I would have liked to stay 25 for a few years and sorted myself out, figured out my career and finished my schooling....but noooo, I just have to turn 26 don't I...darn! Time goes by so fast :(

Before I share my resolutions for this year, I'd like to first share my fitness accomplishments from 2011.

The BIGGEST accomplishment - I reached my weight loss goal! It is the first time I've ever consciously made a weight loss goal, and achieved it AND maintained it! I wanted to get to 135 pounds and I got all the way to 125 pounds! Wow :)

I feel stronger as a person for having done this, and it makes me feel like if I make new resolutions, I can actually achieve them, they aren't just day dreams..

I also discovered Green Monsters - fruit smoothies with spinach in them and used them in my diet

I gave up coffee!! (holy crap..)

Towards the middle of the year, I brown bagged 80% of my work lunches with at home cooking and had several months where I didn't eat out at all!!

I did Jillian's 30 day Shred

I did Dr. Ian Smith's 3 day Diet cleanse + quite a few of the modules from the diet - until I had wisdom teeth out and had to just drink my food LOL

I actually started working out at the gym that I was about to cancel my membership to...and now I go at LEAST three times a week and feel SO much more alive and have less aches and pains from sitting in the office all day - and I maintained the gym visits while working and going to school full time

I completed a nutrition course at college and got an A in it

I watched 'Forks Over Knives' and read 'The Engine 2 Diet' and watched "Fat Sick and Nearly Dead" whichjust reaffirmed my faith in vegetarianism and healthy eating vs. the typical American diet. BTW This is the best speech I have ever heard http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=es6U00LMmC4

I started blogging to keep me on track with my progress. And it REALLY helped! Reading the posts of other healthy minded people is a big motivator too, especially living in Florida where I'm surrounded by a lot of unhealthy people eating the traditional southern diet!

And I didn't get sick once this year! Last year I had a whole week at home with a  cold, and several days I left the office early feeling sick. Im convinced that eating healthy and working out really helped with this- I ate like I did back when I'd feel like I was about to get sick- fruits, smoothies, vitamin C- but all the time :)
In other big news- my braces are coming off in 12 days!!! WOOOOOT! :) Cant wait to chew gum and eat corn on the cob again!

New Years Resolutions:

Fitness:

Lose 5 more pounds to get to my ideal weight of 120 pounds... calculated with this website http://www.halls.md/ideal-weight/body.htm   Actually, over the past 3 days I've gained TWO pounds from eating out constantly so its going to be lose 7 pounds...

I cant believe how the weight piled on right after NYE and Xmas- I guess I thought I'd gotten past the holidays and relaxed too much- I also ate several tubs of guacamole and LOTS of chocolate + nutella! Oh- and I treated myself to a jar of Marmite which I miss (as a Brit- and I miss Vegemite which is the Australian version too)

 which led to a bit of a bread fest as I took a tasty trip down memory lane with one fresh hot piece of  buttery toast after another.. Its actually kind of shocking to have GAINED weight, its been a year since that last happened!

Develop biceps (which will lead to rock climbing I hope!) I saw a girl out at the club on NYE that had THE biceps I want- defined, but not too bulky- something to work for!

Go to the gym four times a week at least until I achieve the above two goals...if not the gym at least a session of Jillian's 30 Day Shred DVD!

I tracked my workouts over the past 7 months and tallied them all up, and I noticed a pattern. When I went to the gym four times a week I lost weight. Three times a week I maintained my weight. Once I get to my goal of 120 I can go back to the easier to achieve 3 times a week but its going to be 4 a week for now! Which is kind of hard with two evening classes after work, but I can do it! :D

Life:


Decluttering- I've been in the USA for over three years now and though I only arrived with a suitcase of stuff, I know have an overflow of clothing in my wardrobe etc...so I want to go through my stuff and donate anything not worn in the past 6 months.

Less procrastinating

Get an 'A' in Math this semester  and maintain my 4.0 GPA! I'm scared, this is my first college math class wish me luck! P.S. - Im still pretty proud of myself for actually going to college :D

Get a tattoo. I dont have one, and I wanted to get one 'once I got fit' That time is near people!! Im not a big fan of pain but I love artwork and I'd love to have something done...still need to design it though!

Start Writing again.  I loved writing as a teen, and wrote a whole 70,000 word novel once. I want to get back in touch with my creativity (despite deamind job+essays sapping my imagination) It is something that makes me happy.

Travel:

Last year I went to Mexico, and Ashevill N.C. as well as trips to various springs/nature parks and beaches in Florida.

Im itching for international travel- such as seeing my family in Australia (its been 4 years) but I feel obliged to actually see more of the USA before I go abroad. I have Australian friends who have been stateside and seen more of the US than I have. What would the point of travelling home be when I've barely covered the 50 states... I want to go to New York, any of the National Parks...and feel free to suggest any other destinations!
I also realize that some of my happiest memories of 2011 are from my trips! Travel is my addiction and right now I'm torn between being 'grown up and responsible' and studying+ holding down a job vs. selling my possesions and moving around like I've done most of my adult life!

Career:

Well. This one is a toughie. I feel blessed to have a well paying job with people I like when so many people don't. But two and a half years into the same job and something has got to give. Lets see what opportunities 2012 brings...



Favorite 2011 memories:

Visiting the mountains of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico and ziplining + tasting fresh tequila!

finding our way around Mexico, anti-resort style and loving the authenticity of it

Waterfall rappelling despite my fear of it lol

suprise camping trip plus Daytona beach for my birthday!

Ty finally graduating from Paramedic school and getting a job :)

Seeing hundreds of dolphins and whales by our boat, including a baby whale!

Fall foliage in Asheville, North Carolina. This pic is on the Blue Ridge Parkway

Getting an 'A' in my photography class!

Buying a new (secondhand) fun car!

Weight Loss Success!!! I acheived my New Years Resolution!

I have a big announcement.......

Well..... today is the last day of summer...aaand the title of this blog is "Fit for Summer" and guess what? I achieved the goal of 125 pounds I thought of as IIMPOSSIBLE at the beginning of the year when I was 143-147 pounds! I have been at 125 pounds for a week now (I wanted to wait to announce it, as I wanted to make sure I stayed at 125) OMG /XD I am so happy!! It wasn't all easy peasy but I DID it =D>

This is the first time I've ever stuck to a New Years resolution by the way...and I feel pretty darn proud of myself...

When I first set my goals, I just wanted to be 135 pounds....I reached that then set my eye on the seemingly impossible 125...and thats where I am at today! :D

I went from a size 10 to a size 6 (or 4 in some brands)


Before:

I went from this....143 pounds

After:  125!!

I think my biggest tip from this journey - work out at least 4 times a week for at least 45 minutes each time. I try to burn 500 calories when I do cardio, and I mix in strength training too! Some days I feel SO tired from work+school but the gym gives me energy, and all my back aches etc. melt away after a gym session!

Eat UNPROCESSED food...you almost cant go wrong if you do this!

 I learnt to veer away from too many processed vegetarian proteins like premade burger patties etc and eat more lentils and quinoa! If you cook most of your meals, and use things that don't come out a box ready made you will see the pounds melt away and your skin clear up and your hair grow longer :D

No rest for the wicked though- I am going to continue going to the gym and eating healthy and see if I can't get to 120 pounds by December! It sounds nuts/impossible but I probably can...I've come to realise with this weight loss that my build is actually petite (fancy that- under all my fat I was hiding small bones! Makes sense- my sisters are all about 115-120, I dont know why I just thought I was the genetic anomaly, the 'curvy one' LOL)....Wish me luck!!